The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-07
ANOTHER COTTON FIRE.
THE CARGO OF THE BRITISH
STEAMER NAPLES BURNED.

The Mates Discover the Flames and
Send for Aid-Serious Obstacles in
the Way of Reaching the Blaze-Over
5000 Bales of Cotton in the Cargo
The Fire Still Burning.
Shortly before o'clock last night First
Mate Garrick and Second Mate Williamson,
of the British steamship Naples, were in the
mess room talking when they both
smelt smoke. They Immediately rllshered
out of the mess room to hunt its
location. The second mate observed the
smoke issuing from the No. 2 main hatch
forward, which was battened down and
covered with a tarpaulin. The first mate
gave the alarm 70 the Waterman, who
rushed on shore. and Policeman Thorpe, of
the Ocean Steamship Company force, turned
in the alarm from Box - at the Central
Cotton Press The Naples was lying outside
of the British steamship Marion, at the
wharf of the Central Press yard, which
made it difficult. when the fire apparatus
arrived to get at the vessel i'll good time.
Besides. there was a long train of empty
ears laying across the yard. parallel with
the wharf, which had to be removed before
the firemen could do anything.
SHEETS OF FLAME
In the meantime First Mate Gar
rick bad got the crew to work and
had steam turned into the hold On open
ing one section of the hatch immense sheets
of fame shot upward from the hold, and
ignited the tarpauin, entirely consuming
it. The hatch was Immediately closed
again. the fire being evidently amidships.
The crew were working like Trojans when
lv~fr,r
slip al the Ocean Steamship Companys
wharf, she being stationed there at night
for Just such an emergency, came alongside
Of the Naples, and got her pumps to work
before the alarm struck, throwing the first
water on the fire.
FIGHTING AGAINST ODDS.
line of hose had also been run aboard
from the wharf, and both this and the tug
We're throwing water some time before the
fire department arrived, although the latter
were not slow in getting there, but the OBJ
stacles prevented them from getting down
to work very quickly The deck of the YES
the ship. The Naples had not finished load
ing, although she had been cleared for
Liverpool on Sept 80 She had on
board between 900 ana ), 700 bales of cot
ton. which is all insured. The origin of the
fire is unknown. The longshoremen left the
snip At O'Clock. when the matches were
hatteHed down and everything secured to
prevent any such event. The Naples
was a large vessel, being 2,28S gross
tons register, and she belonged to Messrs.
Nelson, DOn1in e Co, of Newcastle, Eng.
HER PLATES AT WHITE HEAT
Shortly after 9 o'clock the tug Constitu-
ton commenced throwing water into the
hold. BY midnight the fire ragged with
great fury forward. As the tide ebbed the
vessels stern settled down and the stem
coming up caused all the water to
flow aft, giving the fire full play
ia the cotton forward and as the vessel
keeled over to port the heat became intense.
The plates on the starboard side of the ship
forward were heated to almost white
heat and they began to crack. The depart
ment, however, managed TO get two streams
through this side OF the vessel, which did
great deal of good, but the
vessel is badly damaged on the starboard side
Forward from appearances at midnight,
it bids fair to be an all night job for the
firemen and tugs. A survey win be called
this morning The Naples was at one time
considered the finest vessel sailing out of
England